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Twitter Becoming X: Brands Aren't Changing Their Twitter Icon

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Twitter Becoming X: Brands Aren't Changing their Twitter Icona

Brand Twitter icons

Some of your favorite brands such as Nike, Adidas, M&M’s, Heinz, Band-Aid, Dawn, Kleenex and Oreo have not updated their social media marketing resources from Twitter to X. If you look on brand websites, you’ll see that icons linking to the social media platform are still Twitter rather than the rebranded X.

Social media icon bar showing Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

What is the background behind this?

Twitter has officially been renamed as X, so it is expected that brands update their social media platform icons as there is no longer Twitter with its logo. Well, it may just be possible that a brand's assets and values do not align with the social views of the new CEO of X. As there are two sides to every story, many believe that the renaming goes deeper than just a new name and logo.

Twitter Logo X Logo

What is different between X and Twitter?

What does this mean when it comes to the features on the app? There are not many features that have changed along with the renaming of the platform. Elon Musk, the owner of the app has recently made the statement of the only feature that will be different — the ability to block another account.

Musk says it’s a feature that makes no sense, but others believe it to be a safety feature. Currently, the only way you can block someone is through direct messaging. This change in features is controversial as some may believe it is a safety feature while others may side with Musk.

Additionally, the feature of verification has changed during the transition of Twitter to X. In other words, the blue checkmark you may have seen before next to usernames means that the account was real, authentic, credible and interesting for the public. Now, with the new rule of X, a user must be subscribed to meet the criteria by X to be verified. Essentially, only accounts actively subscribed to X Premium are eligible to receive the blue checkmark. There are ways to lose the blue check mark/verification on X now as well. More information can be found here


Update on Threads

Threads, the new app launched by Instagram, has released a new feature that allows a thread to be shared to direct messaging, mentions in threats, and an option for your feed to be in chronological order of only the people you are following. The app along with the updated changes may seem similar to what was known as Twitter.

If you are a user on Instagram, you may have seen a post with music over it or a number with a “@” before it in someone’s bio.

Threads account appearing on an Instagram profile

I wondered to myself:

  • How does this work?
  • When was this feature added?
  • How can I do this too?

Well, this feature comes from Threads as the owner of the app, Meta, is trying to shape a new future of the internet. As Meta also owns Instagram and Facebook, the parent company has made it very easy to get set up with Threads. All you have to do is simply use your Instagram login which will then ask for verification and be carried over to customize your profile on Threads.

With the rise of changes in social media, Threads will become more and more popular to different audience groups.


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Meet the Author



Shelby Genovese

Shelby Genovese
Social Media Student Worker

Shelby is a social media student worker in marketing on the Marketing Communications Online Programs through the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University. She is a Sophomore at WVU as well as a member of the WVU Dance Team. Her dogs and sports are things she could always talk about! Coming from a small town, Shelby loves traveling to big cities. She is able to express herself through her writing and find more of her work here!


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